Chapter 5: The Norwegian summer farming landscape: A presentation of the characteristic summer farming landscape in south central Norway

10.1163/9789004278073_006

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Chapter Summary

Pre-industrial Norwegian agriculture was to a great extent dependent on out-bye land, and summer farming (involving transhumance) has been of utmost importance for thousands of years. Summer farming in the Norwegian mountains has a long history and can be traced back to the Iron Age, or even to the Bronze Age, enabling fodder resources far from the farm to be utilised. The total area of the landscape described in this chapter is about 2,500 km2 with steep valleys surrounded by mountains, which reach about 1,800 m above sea level. In this area the farms are situated in the valleys and on the lower parts of the mountain slopes from about 300 m to 1,000 m, while the summer diary farms are situated at about 700 m to 1,200 m; thus the summer grazing area occupies the mountain slopes between the main farm level and the middle alpine level.